Table



H. L. GUTH.

TABLE.

APPLICATION FI LED APR.25,1919.

PatentedMar.'22,1921.

0Q OOOQQO 0000000 O0 OOOOQQ'QQ OOO O OOOQQO 0 0000000 000000000 090000 00000000 UNITED STATES HENRY L. GUTH, OF NAPPANEE, INDIANA.

TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed April 25, 1919. Serial No. 292,539.

1 '0 all to 710m it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY L. Gprn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nappanee, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Tables, of which the following is a specification.

T he object of this invention is to prov de a table for supporting a tabulating, adding or other office machine therein so that the machine can be readily positioned for use by an operator using the table to support data to be referred to in operating the machine' And a further object of the invent on is to provide for conveniently positioning the machine in relation to the data supported on the table so that the operator will be re lieved' of eye strain in operating the machine.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved table showing the machine supporting parts in normal open position but omittiug the machine to more clearly illustrate the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the table showing a machine, indicated in a general way, in a preferred position on the support;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the table and the machine support, showing the latter and the cover in closed position;

Fig. 1 is a similar view showing the support and cover in open 13081131011;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the support. I

Referring to the drawings, 6 designates the table which is provided at one side with a compartment for the machine and its support. This compartment is formed by the side walls '7, 7, extending from the front 8 to the back 9 of the table and by the inclined bottom 10 which is'fastened to the sides 7, 7, and extends from the front 8 part way or entirely to the back 9 as may be desired. A support 11 for the machine 12 is arranged on the bottom 10 and the front of the table is recessed at 8 so that in open position the support will rest upon the front 8 below the top 13 of the table whichis recessed at 13' to accommodate the machine in operative position. A flexible cover 14 of the roll-top variety is arranged to slide in grooves 15 to close the recess in the top and front of the table when the machine is not in operative position and this top is arranged to lie flush with the top of the table so that the latter may be used for ordinary purposes with the machine inclosed in the compartment.

The machine is removably arranged on the support 11 or it may be fastened thereto, if desired, by any suitable fastening means. I have found it convenient to arrange the machine between cleats 16 which are screwed or otherwise fastened to the support 11 and which confine the machine in fixed position thereon. The machine may be positioned squarely on the support but I consider it ad- 'antageous to arrange the cleats so that the machine will be positioned angularly with respect to the support, as shown in Fig. as this will be more convenient for the op erator. l

Slides 17 having inclined front edges 17 are secured on the underside of the support 11 adjacent the rear ends thereof and operatein slots 18 in the bottom 10 of the compartment. The inclined edges 17 of these slides are adapted to slide on the beveled front edges 19 of the slots 18 and the construction is such that when the support is pulled forward from closed position (Fig. 3) to open position (Fig. 4) the support will rest in horizontal position upon the front 8 and the slides 1'7 will rest upon the beveled edges 15). To hold the support in this open position I provide some suitable form of spring detent 20 to engage a recess 21 on the under side of the table, this detent preferably having an arm 22 extending down through an opening 23 iirthe bottom 10 so that it can be conveniently reached beneath the front 8 to release the detent. from the support and permit the support to be returned to closed position (Fig. 3). The support is preferably provided with a cross piece 24: at the front thereof forming a handle by which it can be conveniently adjusted to closed or open position.

My invention provides a simple, neat and convenient arrangement for storing an office machine when not in use in a table so that the table can be used for ordinary purposes and so that the machine can be quickly brought into operative position. I prefer to construct the parts in such proportions that when the machine, such as a calculating. tabulating or similar machine, is brought into operative position the keyboard will lie substantially in the plane of the table top although it is my present opinion that the preferable construction is one which will bring the keys slightly above the plane of the table top. It is customary for the operator to Operate such a machine with his right hand, using his left hand in connection with the papers containing the data which he is transferring to the machine. By thus locating the machine with its keyboard in approximately the same plane as the data lying on the table alongside the machine the focalization of the data and the keyboard will be substantially the same and that strain upon the eyes which results from a constant shifting of focalization in work of this character is entirely avoided, or. at least, very greatly reduced. As before stated, I prefer to arrange the machine in an angular position on the shiftable support so that the keyboaro will be more com eniently disposed to the operator. The cleats or other means for holding the machine in position on the support, may, however, be disposed in any manner desired to position the machine squarely on the support or otherwise.

I prefer to secure blocks 28 on the bottom 10 adjacent the front 8 and having inclined upper edges to form tracks on which the front of the support slides as the support is moved to open or closed position. These blocks facilitate the shifting movement of the support and the construcion is such that the front of the support travels up the inclined edges of these blocks to the top of the recessed front 8 before the slides 17 engage the beveled edges 19. This intermittent engagement of the support with the parts which elevate the support in its opening movement cases this movement and facilitates the operation. This construction also enables the closing as well. as the opening movement without shock or jar to the machine and without objectionable noise.

I may provide a yielding buffer 25 on the bottom 10 of the compartment to be engaged by the rear end of the support and suitable cushions 26 on the bottom of the support and on the bottom 10 to reduce the noise and prevent shock when the support is shifted to closed position. I also prefer to provide stop bars 27 on the sides 7 of the compartment to be engaged by the support and to limit the upward and forward movement thereof as will be readily understood.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion and arrangement of parts of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof and I therefore reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A table provided. with a compartment therein having an inclined bottom wall, said bottom wall having slots therein, a platform free within said compartment and normally resting on said bottom wall, slides pro'ecting from the under side of said platform and operating in said slots, said slides having inclined edges to operatively engage the forward edges of said slots to raise said platform as said. platform is moved forwardly relative to said bottom wall.

2. A table provided with a compartment therein having an inclined bottom and a front extending above the bottom, said bottom having slots therein and beveled ed es at the forward ends thereof, and a shifta 10 support free within said compartment and having slides on the underside thereof operating in said slots so that the support may rest flatly upon said bottom, said slides having inclined edges to operatively engage said beveled edges and hold the support in horizontal position resting upon said front when shifted forwardly.

3. A table provided with a compartment therein having an inclined bottom and a front, said bottom having slots theiein and beveled edges at the forward ends thereof, a flat shif-table support free within said compartment and arranged to rest in inclined position on said bottom backof said front and having triangular shaped slides operating in said slots, the forward inclined edges of said slides being arranged to operatively engage said beveled edges and hold the support in horizontal position elevated above the bottom and resting upon said front when shifted forwardly.

i:- A table provided with a compartment therein having an inclined bottom, sides and a front, said bottom having slots therein and beveled edges at the forward ends thereof, a flat shiftable support free within said compartment and arranged to rest in inclined position on said bottom back of said front and having slides on its underside to operate in said slots, said slides having inclined edges to engage said beveled edges when the support is moved forwardly and shift the support from an inclined position on the bottom to a horizontal position resting upon the front, and means on said sides for limiting the upward and forward adjustment of the support.

A table provided with a compartment therein having a fixed inclined bottom and a front, a shiftable support free within the compartment in inclined position upon said bottom, and means for supporting the support in horizontal position in its forward adjustment with the forward portion of the support resting upon said front and the rear portion resting upon and elevated above said inclined bottom.

6. A table provided with a compartment therein having an inclined bottom and a front, said bottom having slots therein and beveled edges at the forward ends thereof, a shiftable support arranged within the compartment in inclined position on said bottom, said support having slides operating in said slots and provided with inclined edges to operatively engage said beveled edges, means for limiting the upward and forward adjustment of said support to rest upon the front and with said slides resting upon the bottom, and means for locking the support in this adjusted position.

7. A table provided with a compartment therein having a bottom and a front, a machine support free within said compartment and adapted to support a machine in said compartment in storage position or in posi tionfor operation, there being an opening in said bottom adjacent said front, and a detent engaging the support to lock it in position for operation and having a releasing arm extending down through said opening into position accessible beneath said front.

8. A table provided with a compartment therein having an inclined bottom and a front, said bottom having slots therein and beveled edges at the forward ends thereof,

a shiftable support having slides operating in said slots and with inclined edges to operatively engage said beveled edges, and blocks at the front of said bottom and having inclined upper edges over which the front of the support travels to position upon the front of the compartment.

9. A table provided with a compartment therein having a bottom and a front, said bottom having slots therein and beveled edges at the forward ends thereof, a shiftable support having slides operating in said slots and with inclined edges to operatively engage said beveled edges, and blocks at the front of said bottom and having inclined upper edges over which the front of the support travels to position upon the front of the compartment, said slides and beveled edges being located in such relation to each other and to said blocks that the front portion of the support will have been elevated in its travel on said blocks before the rear portion of the support is elevated by engagement of the slides with the beveled edges.

HENRY L. GUTH.

\Vitnesses THOMAS J. BRIGKETT, CLARA M. GRAY. 

